Wisden overview Dumped by Derbyshire in 1987 but snaffled by Staffordshire two years later, Taylor's rapid ascent into England's Test side could be traced back to a NatWest Trophy tie in 1990 against Northamptonshire. Taylor took 0-92 with his left-arm seam, but Northants saw through the stats and signed him up for the 1991 season. Eighteen prolific months later he was on his way to India with England, but won just one cap there, on a Calcutta belter. When he was given a second chance, against New Zealand in 1994, it was clear that the captain at the time, Mike Atherton, had little confidence in him, and he returned to county cricket for good. Slightly splay-footed but with a strong open-chested action, Taylor kept it tight outside off stump and could move the ball both ways. Until his final first-team season in 2001, he was regularly picking up 50 wickets a year, and remained one of the fittest opening bowlers in the country, despite being well into his thirties. A dogged county No 8, Taylor helped save a Lord's Test with Steve Rhodes in 1994. Lawrence Booth

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